Exploring first-year engineering students’ learning strategies and academic performance

This study investigated the learning strategies of 450 U.S. engineering freshmen and their academic performance. Paired-samples t-tests indicated significant improvements in learning strategies, with higher mean scores on the post-survey compared to the pre-survey, except for the attitude subscale. Variation in two subscales, selecting main ideas and test strategies, was observed among demographic groups. Pell, first-generation, racially minoritized, and female students initially reported lower levels of learning strategies, but these differences diminished in the post-survey. Hierarchical linear regression analyses revealed learning strategies related to (coping with) anxiety and motivation significantly predicted academic performance, with effective anxiety management and higher motivation scores associated with better academic performance. This study provides insights into the learning strategies employed by first-year engineering students and their relationship with academic performance. It highlights the potential for improvements in these strategies over time and how they vary among different demographic groups. Cited as: Zhang, S., Shi, Q., Garza, T., Li, C. (2024). Exploring first-year engineering students’ learning strategies and academic performance. Education and Lifelong Development Research, 1(2), 58-71. https://doi.org/10.46690/elder.2024.02.02 References: Alzubaidi, E., Aldridge, J. M., & Khine, M. S. (2016). Learning English as a second language at the university level in Jordan: Motivation, self-regulation and learning environment perceptions. Learning Environments Research, 19(1), 133–152. American Society for Engineering Education. (2016). Engineering by the numbers: ASEE retention and time-to-graduation benchmarks for undergraduate engineering schools, departments and programs. Washington, D.C. 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